If there is a singular time of the year when nearly the entire world suffers from Attention Deficit Disorder, it is during the weeks leading up to Christmas. It seems that no one is immune. Unfortunately, that includes Christians.

Wouldn’t you think that people who are called Christians would be focused on Christ at Christmas? There’s just something about those three capitalized words that begs them to be closely knit together.

But you know what those weeks are like. You’ve got to get the house decorated and get the tree up. You’ve got to get the lights up in the front yard. You’ve got to get new lights to replace the ones that have burned out – and you can never find the same kind you had last year because they were made in China, but this year they are made in some country you’re not sure you’ve ever heard of before. Then there are the parties, the musicals, and the Christmas plays. If you are in one, it’s even worse, because now you have all the rehearsals – and probably another party.

Black Friday, not officially recognized as a holiday by most people, begins the shopping in earnest. And when the shopping is done, there is the wrapping. Then there is the baking and cooking. All leading up to Christmas morning when stockings are emptied, the gifts are opened, the cooking culminates, and there is a mess to clean up and put out to the curb at the end of the day. Some families might even squeeze in a requisite reading of Luke chapter two.

Is this what Christmas is about? Is this what focusing on Christ means? Of course not. But every year, Christians seem to lose focus on Christ at the very time we are supposed to be celebrating His advent. Perhaps it is because we were not really focused on Him at all. Our prayer at Mainstay Ministries is that this will be the year that you and your family truly focus on Christ through the Christmas season and beyond. We have developed our unique Advent Calendar Devotionals for just that reason. We believe that by gathering your family together to share each daily devotional, not only will it help you to get focused on Christ and stay focused on Him through Christmas, but that it will also establish within your hearts the need to focus on Him and have a daily devotional time even beyond the holiday season.

Focus on Christ this Christmas. You may have to let one or two other things go. Whatever they are, they cannot compare with focus on and fellowship with Christ. It’s not that hard to do. We’ve made it easy for you.